YOUR CART

Fieldwork

In order to create and maintain effective environments for learning, it is incredibly important to implement and maintain routines and structure so all students can feel safe within the classroom and school environment. Routines provide students clear guidelines for how to be successful, and as one teacher expressed, "routines are key" to fostering a positive learning environment. I’m a creature of habit and greatly appreciate organization, so maintaining routine in my classroom will be a welcome strategy for creating and maintaining an effective learning environment. ​​

Almost every classroom I have observed keeps a schedule of the day’s activities on the board with time stamps next to each item so students can take a look at what their day may include. In some classes, the teacher will review the day’s schedule with the whole group. In the younger grades, this is also a nice opportunity to review how to tell time on an analog clock. Often, a class’ schedule stays the same from day to day or week to week, which further facilitates class structure.

Teaching students a set routine for how each morning should start is also very helpful for providing students a guided beginning to their learning. In every classroom I’ve observed, the students know what to do when they come into class each morning or after recess. They know to put their backpacks on their hook or in their cubbies, take a seat at their desk or on the rug for morning message or opening circle, or as one 2nd grade teacher calls it, take a few minutes of "personal time" to get situated before learning begins. In her class, students feel comfortable knowing they will have an appropriate time to get water, go to the restroom, get their things out, or put their snacks away. In one 5th grade class, the teacher greets every student with a handshake at the beginning of each school day, teaching them the benefit of polite interactions and signaling to them that they are stepping into their shared learning environment.

During transitions, many teachers use a bell or chime to indicate when it is time for students to bring their attention back up to the teacher to hear about the next activity. In some classrooms, I have also seen teachers use a song to signify when it is time to put things away and join the class on the rug. Based on their classroom routines, students understand they have the length of the song to accomplish what they are supposed to.

Another strategy many teachers use to maintain routine and structure in their classroom is assigning students class jobs that rotate. Jobs may include paper passers, chair stackers, line leaders, door holders, etc. In some classes, everyone has a job, and in others, only a select few jobs exist. In one 2nd grade class, the teacher connects class jobs to the real world experience of holding a job as a way to teach responsibility. She pays each student $0.35 a week of fake money for doing their jobs. They can then choose to save or spend their money in the class store, which sells things like erasers, stickers, etc. If students don’t do their jobs, they can be "fired," just like in the real world (though they are still paid the $0.35 a week), and can be given a chance at another job upon rotation. This program teaches students the responsibility of holding a job, completing it, being rewarded/paid for the work they do, and the value of a dollar. For 2nd graders in particular, connecting their jobs to money is a great way to solidify the new concept of currency. This is definitely something I’d like to implement in my classroom.

In order to create a safe space for children to learn, chaos must be avoided and order implemented. At one school in which I’m observing, all students are required to line up quietly for recess or lunch and be walked outside by the teacher. At the end of recess or lunch, a teacher or yard supervisor blows a whistle signifying the end of recess and all students are required to "take a knee" (sit down on the ground) until the second whistle blows for dismissal. They then must line up with their class and wait for their teacher to meet them and bring them back to the classroom. For the younger students, they are taught to "catch a bubble" in their mouths as a way to keep them quiet as they walk from place to place. These rules ensure the safety of all students, especially in such a large school where 500 kids running around aimlessly could be quite dangerous.

I believe one of the most helpful ways a teacher can set him- or herself up for success as well, is by creating an organized classroom. Labels, files/folders, color-coding, etc. not only provide piece of mind for a teacher who already has a million things to think about but can also help students know where to find or put things and keep straight all the different activities and subjects they are working on.

As I begin to think about what my own classroom may look like, I am eager to set myself and my students up for success. My ultimate goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment in which all my students can be the best versions of themselves. My innate organizational skills and affinity for structure and routine will be helpful qualities for maintaining order and creating an effective learning environment.